Conveyer unloader



March 27,1951

v. A. RAYBURN ET AL CONVEYER UNLOADER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 21, 1945 T L J lNVEA/TORS l .A. RAVBURN 0.0. ROBSON March 27, 1951 Filed Dec. 21, 1945 V. A. RAYBURN ET AL CONVEYER UNLOADER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS l .A. RAJ BURN D. G. BSON ATTORNEY March 27, 1951 v. A. RAYBURN ET AL CONVEYER UNLOADER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 21, 1945 /NVEN TORS VA. RAYBURN 0.6. ROBSON A 7' TORNEV Patented Mar. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CON VEYER UNLOADER Vincent A. Rayburn and Duer C. Robson, Baltimore, Md., assignors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 21, 1945, Serial No. 636,404,,

Claims.

This invention relates to conveyers, and more particularly to conveyers for transporting reels.

In the operation of machines for making articles from wire, large numbers of reels of wires must be transported to the machines. For the greatest easein the operation of such machines, reserve supplies of the reels of Wire must be positioned at an easily accessible location relative to the machines. However, heavy reels are diflicult to move and require large amounts of labor to transportthem to positions conveniently located with respect to the machines.

An object of the invention is to provide new and improved conveyers.

A conveyer constituting one embodiment of the invention comprises an article-transporting elementfmeans for moving the article-transporting element along a predetermined path, means positioned adjacent to said path for loading articles 4 on said element, and means positioned adjacent to said path for unloading articles from the article-transporting element.

A complete understanding of the invention may Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical section similar to Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical section taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical section of the conveyer similar to Fig. 4 showing some of the parts in diiierent positions, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical section somewhat similar to Fig. 4 showing a portion of a conveyer forming an alternative embodiment of the invention.

Referring now in detail to the drawings there is shown therein a conveyer, which includes a loader II and tracks I2-I2 serving to uide an endless roller chain I 5. The chain I5 is advanced between the tracks I2-I2 by a sprocket I6 past the loader II and unloaders 28, 2| and 22 to serve machines 25, 26 and 21 positioned adjacent to the unloaders 20, 2| and 22, respectively.

Each of a plurality of hook assemblies 2828 (Fig. 1) includes a hook 36. A pair of trip rolls 45-45 is carried by the chain at a point a predetermined distance in advance of the hook assembly and precedes the hook as the chain l5 carries advanced to the loader II on a loading ramp 80.

The hook assemblies 2828 are advanced one at a time from the loader II past a turner I32 (Fig. 1). The construction of thehook assemblies and the turner is disclosed and claimed in copending. application Serial No. 636,401, filed December 21, 1945, now Patent 2,471,347, issued May 24, 1949.

After the hooks 3030 have been turned by the turner I32 (Fig. 1) so that they point in directions opposite to those in which they are advanced by the conveyer chain I 5, the hook assemblies are advanced one at a time past the unloader 20 and the trip rolls 4545 engage cams of which a cam I66 is shown and'move these cams from their fullline positions, as shown in Fig. 2, to their brokenline positions: The cams I66-I66 are rigidly fastened to a shaft I10 mounted on a bracket HI and serve to rotate the shaft I10 in counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig.2, when they'are moved from their full-line positions to their broken-line positions, whereby an arm I 12 rigidly mounted on the shaft I10 is moved from its fullline position to its broken-line position;

When the arm I12 is rotated from its fullline position to its broken-line position, it moves a link I15 connected thereto downwardly, as

in a clockwise direction. The arm I16 is con nected rigidly to a driving clutch member I 11 (Figs. 2 and 4) rotatably mounted on a shaft I BI. The driving clutch member normally engages a driven clutch member I (Fig. 4) splined to the shaft I81, and if engaged therewith, rotates the driven clutch member and the shaftin a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, when the driving clutch member I11 is rotated. The shaft I 8| serves to rotate arms I82--I82 (Figs. 2 and 4), which raise a table I85, which is pivotally connected thereto and to arms, of which an arm I86 (Fig. 3) is shown, connected to a bracket I81. The arms Its-I86 are rotated from their-positions shown inFig. 2 to their positions shown in Fig. 3 when the arms I82-l82 are rotated by the shaft I 8| from their positions shown in Fig. 2 to their positions shown in Fig. 3,

.whereby the table I85 is raised. The arms I 322-182 are the same length as and are parallel with the arms I86I8B so, that they form a pantograph linkage with the table I85 and support the table I85 in a horizontal position regardless of the positions of the arms I 82I82 and As the table I85 is raised, it raises a concave receiving platform I90 (Fig, 4) from its full-line position shown in Fig. 4 to its broken-line posiion. Thereceiving platform I90 is pivotally securedto the table I85 and is tilted by a stop I downwardly toward the right when the table I85 is in its full-line position. However, as the 60 table I85 is raised from its full-line position to its broken-line position, a leg I92 depending from the under side of the platform 19.9 engages the table, whereby the platform H is held in a horizontal position.

When the table I85 is moved from the full-line position shown in Fig. 4, to its broken-line position, the receiving platform I ,90 engages, lifts and holds the reel I65 from the hook3-0. A stop IOI positioned on the platform I90 ,serves to retard the advancement of reel I65, and as the hook assembly 28 continues to move to the right, as viewed in Fig. 3, the reel I65 stripped from the hook 30. After the hook has been withdrawn from the reel I65, the trip roll 45 (Fig. 2) is advanced out of engagement with an elongated dwell portion I61 of the cam I66, and the weight of the reel together with the weight of the cam I66 forces the platform I90 and the table I85 to their full-line positions shownin Fig. 4.

As the table I85 and the platform I90 are lowered from their broken-line positions shown in I Fig. 4 to their full-line positions, the left side of the platform I 98 engages the stop I95 and the platform I90 tilts downwardly and to the right. The reel I65 then rolls from the receiving platform 190 onto a ramp I96 and engages a cam portion I91 (Figs. 2 and 5) of a rider 200 and raises the cam portion I 91. The rider 200 is pivoted freely on a rod 205 secured to levers 21!!--29I, which are mounted pivotally on a rod 206. A cam portion 202 of the rider 200 rests on a reel 208 previously unloaded onto the ramp I96, which is filled by the arrival of the reel I65 thereon. Thus. when-the reel I65 enga es the cam portion I91 of the rider "200, the rider is raised from its position shown in Fig. 4 to its position shown in Fig. 5, whereby the rod 205 is raised and raises a link 26] connected thereto.

When the link is raised, it pivots an arm 2 ID in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. i 5, whereby a shaft 2 and a yoke 2 l2 connected If the portion of the ramp I96 occupied by the reel 208 had been vacant when the reel I was discharged onto the ramp I96, the rider 206 would merely rock on the rod 205 because a recess 209 of the rider would provide clearance for the reel 455 so that the rider as a whole would not be raised and would not raise the rod 205 when engaged by the reel I65 rolling down the ramp I96. Thus, the driven clutch member I normally remains in engagement with the driving clutch member III until the ramp I is filled. The rider 200 and the elements associated therewith do not impede the movement of the reels on the ramp I but prevent the operation of the unloader 20 when the ramp I96 is filled.

A pair of L-shaped escapement levers 2 I6--2 I 6 (Figs. 1 and ,4) are rotatably mounted on posts 2I"I2II projecting from curbs of the ramp I05, and cam portions 2I5-2 I 5 of the levers 2 I 6-2 I 6 are urged inwardly over the ramp toward each other by torsion springs 2 I8-2 I 8 mounted on the posts 2n 2n.

A reel 220 engaging a stop 2I9 (Fig. 4.) positioned at the bottom of the chute I 98 engages the cam portions 2I5-2I5 of the levers 2 5 6-2 I6 and thrusts them outwardly away from each other, whereby curved pins 22I22I extending inwardly from the upper ends of the levers 22i3-2I6 are maintained in the path of a reel 222 and keep the reel 222 out of contact with the reel 220. A pair of escapement levers 225- 225 (Fig. l), which are identical with the levers 2 I 6-2 6, are held in positions in which they stop another reel (not shown) in a position just above the reel 222, and a reel 226 and the reel 200 are similarly held by levers illustrated by levers 228 and 229, respectively. Thus, all of the reels positioned on the ramp I96 are held from contact with each other.

. The other reels then move down the ramp one at a time in a similar fashion but are kept out of contact with each other by the levers 2I6-2I6 and the pins 22I--22I and the levers and pins identical therewith. When the reel I65 moves to cam portion I91 (Figs. 2 and 5) of the rider 200 is freed and the driven clutch member I80 moves back into operative engagement with the driving clutch member I". Thus, when the next hook assembly is advanced over the receiving platform I90, the platform is raised and unloads a reel therefrom.

As described hereinabove, when the ramp I95 is filled, the receiving platform I90 cannot be raised by trip rolls 4545 associated with-hook assemblies 28-48 advanced therepast as the trip rolls are moved into engagement with the cams Hie-66, and the reels carried by the hook assemblies will not be discharged onto the ramp The reels on the hook assemblies, after the ramp I96 is filled, are unloaded by the unloader 25 onto a ramp 230 if the ramp 230 is not filled. If both the ramps I96 and 230 are filled, reels carried therepast by the hook assemblies are discharged by the unloader 22 into a ramp 23I provided the ramp 23I is not filled. If all the ramps I96, 239 and 23! are filled, the reels will be carried by the hooks until a reel in one of the ramps is taken therefrom to render operative the unloader associated therewith.

If it is necessary to withdraw the unloader 20 from the operation of the conveyer system described hereinabove, the table I85 and the levers 582-482 and I86--I86 are swung through slightly less than in a clockwise direction, as

viewed in Fig. 2, to a position in which the table rests on the ears I8II8'I'. This rotates a tooth 242 (Fig. 4;) on the driven clutch member I80 almost 180 out of mesh with a tooth 24I on the driving clutch member I'll. The tooth 256 is the only tooth on the clutch member I80, and the tooth 24-I is the only tooth on the clutch memher IT! and because of this and the fact that the rotation of the driving clutch member I1! is muc less than 180 when the cams I66-I66 are rotated by the trip rolls 45fi5, the tooth 24I does not engage the tooth 240 when the cams I 56-I66 are engaged by the triprolls so that no rotation of the driven clutch member I80 is caused. Hence, no unloading by the unloader 20 occurs. dered inoperative in a similar manner if it is so desired.

A turner 221 (Fig. 1) positioned in advance of the unloader 22 is identical with the turner I32, and serves to turn through 180 the hooks 33-43 as the hooks are advanced therepast so that the hooks point in the direction in which they are advanced as they approach the leader I I.

Operation In the operation of ,the conveyer described hereinabove, the hook assemblies 28-43 are advanced over the loader ll, which serves to load reels on the hooks 33-30 thereof which are empty, but does not affect hooks already carrying reels therepast. The hooks are then turned 180 by the turner I32 and are advanced toward the unloader 2B.

If the unloader 2D is not filled with reels, the receiving platform I33 strips the reels from the hooks 3933 carrying them and deposits them on the ramp I95. This continues until the ramp I96 is filled with reels, at which time the receiving platform I90 will not be actuated as a hook is advanced thereover. The ramps 23!) and 23I are filled successively with reels, whereby the unloaders 2| and 22 do not discharge reels thereon, and, after all of the hooks carried by the chain I5 are filled with reels by the loader II, the

loader does not raise any more reels in the path thereof, until a reel is taken from one of the ramps I 96, 230 and 23! so that an emptied hook approaches the loader II.

The conveyer serves to maintain the ramps I 96, 23!] and 23I full of reels so that the machines 25, 26 and 2? need not be stopped for lack of reels. Any collision between a reel and another reelaor a portion of the conveyer is prevented -whi1ethe reels are handled by the conveyer.

Alternative embodiment (Fig. 6)

An alternative embodiment of the invention for conveying box-like articles shown in Fig. '6 is similar to the first-described embodiment of the invention except that forked hooks 33i!33l1 proof the unloader 323, a table 385, to which the right side, as viewed in Fig. 6, of the receiving platform 390 is pivotally secured, is raised by means (not shown) identical with the means described hereinabove for raising the table I85 (Fig. 4). As the table 385 (Fig. 6) is raised, it raises a brake shoe 386 having grooves 33'I33'i, which receive rolls 388-388 in close fitting engagement therewith. Coverings 383389 of the rolls 388-388 are'composed of a rubber compound or other material having a relatively high coefficient of friction so that the rolls 388 388 are prevented from rolling by friction between the brake shoe and the coverings of the rolls.

- The receiving platform 390 is raised farther and the rolls 388-388 enter between and lift the article 3' from the tines 33I-33I, which are ad- The unloaders 2I and 22 may be renvanced out from under the article. At this time, the coverings 389-489 of the rolls prevent the article from moving relative to therolls because of the friction therebetween.

After the forked hook 333 is advanced beyond the receiving platform 398, the table 385, the brake shoe 333, the receiving platform 330 and the article 3?! lower by gravity. The left end, as viewed in Fig. 6, of the receiving platform 39!! strikes a stop 395, and as the table 385, the brake shoe 3% and the right end of the receiving platform 3% continue to descend, the receiving platform tilts downwardly to the right and the brake shoe moves out of engagement with the rolls' 388388. The rolls 338-388 then are free to rotate and the box-like article rolls off of the receiving platform onto and down the storage chute 396.

The rider 369 having lobes 391 and 492 positioned in the path of the box-like articles is raised when the chute 393 is filled so that two articles engage the lobes 393 and M52. when this occurs, the rider 393 renders the unloader 326 inoperative by means (not shown) identical with those by which the rider 268 (Fig. 4) renders the unloader 23. inoperative. However, a recess 469 provides clearance for articles moving down the chute 335 so thatthe rider 388 only rocks when the chute 333 is not filled.

Operation of alternative embodiment In the operation of the last-described conveyer, a suitable loader (not shown) loads boxlike articles illustrated by the article S'iI on the forked hooks 33Il330 and the forked hooks are advanced past the loader with the tines 33I-*33I thereof pointed in the direction of travel. U- shaped guard rails 399-4239 of the forked hooks aid in holding the articles against side-wise movement on the forked hooks. Before the forked hooks reach unloader 323, they are turned to positions in which the tines thereof point opposite to the direction of travel. The receiving platform 33% takes one at a time the articles from the forked hooks and deposits the articles on the chute 333. Before the unloaded forked hooks reach the loader 3I I again, each is turned so that it points in the direction of travel to be in position to pick up another article.

The above-described conveyors effectively load, convey, unload and store articles of different types entirely automatically and without fouling of the articles or elements thereof. The

articles are handled gently but positively and surely throughout their handling by the corn veyers.

What is claimed is:

1. In a conveyor, means for carrying an article, means for advancing the article-carrying means along a predetermined path, a receiving platform, a ramp positioned at a point adjacent to said path, a plate for supporting the receiving platform, a bracket for securing one edge of the receiving platform pivotally to the plate, a hoist for mounting the plate in a position in which the receiving platform is below the path of the article when the hoist is at rest, means for actuating the hoist, said hoist serving to move the receiving platform upwardly into the path of the article when actuated so that the receiving platform lifts the article from the article-car- I 2. In a conveyor, a hook for carrying a reel, means. for advancing the hook along pro-deter mined path, a ramp positioned at a point adiacent to said path, a receiving platfor" adjacent to the ramp, a pantograph linkage rel-uding a plate for supporting the receiving plat form, a bracket for securing one edge or the receiving platform pivotally to the plate, means for mounting the pantograph linkage in a position in which the receiving platform is heiow the path of the reel when the pantogra oh linkage is at rest, means for actuating the pantograph linkage to move the receiving platform upwardly into the path of and in the direction of travel of a reel carried by the hook so that the receiving platform lifts the reel from the hook and slides the reel from the hook, said actuating means permitting the leceli platform and the pantograph linkage to low gravity after the reel has been slid from the hook, a stop for engaging the edge of the receiving plat form opposite to the edge secured to the 1 ate to tilt the receiving platform as it is lowered, whereby the reel is rolled on the receiving platform onto the ramp.

3. In a conveyor, a platform, a hook for carry ing a reel, a chain for advancing the hook over the platform, a cam having a dwell portion formed, thereon, a roller carried by the chain for engaging the cam when the hook is positioned over the platform, a shaft for raising the platform when rotated, a clutch operably connected to the shaft and the cam for transmitting power from the cam to the shaft, whereby the platform is raised when the cam is struck and raises a reel carried by the hook from the hook, said roller serving to maintain engagement with dwell portion of the cam until the hook has been advanced out of contact with the reel and then moving out of engagement with the cam, where by the reel forces the platform downwardly, a storage ramp, 2. stop for engaging one edge of the platform to tilt the platform as it is forced downwardly, whereby the reel is discharged from the platform into the ramp, a rider pivotally mounted over the ramp, and means for connecting the rider to the clutch, said rider being in rely rocked without moving the rider-connecting means when the ramp is not full and the rider is engaged by a reel rolling thereunder, but serving to actuate the rider-connecting means to disengage the clutch when engaged by two reels.

4. A conveyer, which comprises means for conveying articles along a predetermined path, an article-storing means, means for discharging articles from the conveying means into the article-storing means, means for actuating the artiole-discharging means, raisable means mounted above the article-storing means for preventing operation of the actuating means when raised, and a rocker mounted on the raisable means in such a position that the rocker is only pivoted and the raisaole means is not raised when the rocker is engaged by a single article and the rocker is raised the raisable means is raised when the rocker is engaged simultaneously by two articles.

5. A conveyer, which comprises means for conveying articles along a predetermined path, a ramp, means for discharging articles from the conveying means onto the ramp, means includ ing a clutch for actuating the article-clischarg ing means, raisable means mounted above the ramp for disengaging the clutch when raised, a rocker mounted pivotally on the raisable means in such a position above the ramp that the rocker is only pivoted when engaged by a single article and raises the raisable means when engaged simultaneously by two articles.

VINCENT A. RAYBURN. DUER C. ROBSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 736,274 Lingo Aug. 11, 1903 775,054 Waterman Nov. 15, 1904 1,731,095 Draeger Oct. 8, 1929 1,753,560 Emmert Apr. 8, 1930 1,822,111 Richardson et a1. Sept. 8, 1931 1,841,926 Zuehl Jan. 19, 1932 1,867,717 Stebler July 19, 1932 2,194,912 Regan Mar. 26, 1940 2,199,061 Young et a1 Apr. 3-0, 1940 2,216,685 Caesar Oct. 1, 1940 2,237,160 OMalley Apr. 1, 1941 2,256,684 Morgan et al Sept. 23, 1941 2,298,704 Knox Oct. 13, 3.942

' FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 465,002 Great Britain Apr. 29, 1937 

